Adolescent Health Care Transition in Transition

Transitions of care are periods of vulnerability and risk in our health care system. The risks for poor clinical outcomes and increased health care costs during transitions increase with poor preparation, planning, communication, and coordination of care as patients move from one care setting to another.¹ To a large extent, researchers and policy makers have focused on the care transitions in and out of hospital settings of older adult patients with chronic conditions. However, the transition from pediatric primary and specialty care to adult-focused care presents a more complex array of challenges with life-long consequences.